List of Southern Illinois University alumni

Southern Illinois University Carbondale has had a number of notable alumni since it was first founded in 1869.

Academics

 * Robert Coover, T.B. Stowell Adjunct Professor of Literary Arts at Brown University
 * Algeania Freeman, academic administrator
 * Clara E. Hill, professor of psychology at University of Maryland College Park
 * Gertrude Hull - history teacher for 40 years; tutor to Douglas MacArthur
 * Louise Huffman - teacher and educator on US Antarctic programs
 * John L. Koprowski, Dean of the Haub School of Environment 7 Natural Resources University of Wyoming, conservation biologist, Aldo Leopold Memorial Award from The Wildlife Society (M.A. Zoology 1985)
 * Sir Curtis Price, KBE, current head of New College, Oxford, former President of the Royal Academy of Music and former president of the Royal Musical Association
 * L. Eudora Pettigrew, former president of SUNY Old Westbury, first African-American president in the SUNY system
 * Wilfred Reilly - Kentucky State University professor, author of "Hate Crime Hoax," and opponent of the alt-right movement

Artists

 * Najjar Abdul-Musawwir, artist
 * Mary Manning, photographer

Business people

 * Curt Jones, founder of Dippin' Dots
 * Kenny Troutt, founder of telecommunications company Excel Communications

Crime

 * Timothy Krajcir, serial killer

Entertainers

 * James Belushi, actor/comedian
 * Hannibal Buress, stand-up comedian, actor, writer and producer
 * Don S. Davis, actor best known for role on Stargate SG-1
 * Bil Dwyer, actor, comedian
 * Dennis Franz, actor best known for his work on NYPD Blue
 * Dick Gregory (attended), actor, author, comedian, activist
 * Justin Hartley, actor, best known for role on This is Us
 * Steve James, documentary director and producer of Sundance award-winning Hoop Dreams and Stevie
 * Jenny McCarthy (attended), actress and Playmate of the Year, was studying nursing at SIU when she submitted her photo to Playboy
 * Melissa McCarthy, actress, famous for her role in Gilmore Girls and the motion picture Spy
 * Gary Miller, ESPN SportsCenter anchor
 * Tom Minton, animation producer, writer, artist
 * Bob Odenkirk, actor/writer/comedian
 * Tim O'Malley, actor/comedian, Godshow, Second City alum
 * Randal Mario Poffo, also known as professional wrestler Macho Man Randy Savage; graduated 1971
 * Rick Rizzs, broadcaster for the Seattle Mariners
 * Richard Roundtree, actor, Shaft
 * Ken Swofford, film and television actor, best known for Thelma and Louise (1991 film), Murder She Wrote (1984 drama series)
 * Robert K. Weiss, producer of The Blues Brothers
 * Walt Willey, actor best known for All My Children

Musicians

 * Hamiet Bluiett, jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, and composer
 * Shawn Colvin, musician, singer
 * Lee England Jr., violinist, vocalist, arranger, and composer
 * Open Mike Eagle, rapper
 * Darryl Jones, bassist of The Rolling Stones
 * David Lee Murphy, musician, singer
 * Jason Ringenberg, musician, singer
 * Mathien, singer, producer

Federal government

 * Roland Burris, former U.S. Senator from Illinois (2009–2010); previously served as Illinois Comptroller and Illinois Attorney General
 * Jack Davis, U.S. Congressman from Illinois's 4th Congressional District who served from 1987 to 1989
 * William Enyart, U.S. Congressman from Illinois's 12th Congressional District; served from 2013 to 2013; law degree from Southern Illinois University School of Law
 * Julio M. Fuentes, circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
 * Tim Lee Hall, U.S. Congressman; represented Illinois's 15th Congressional District from 1975 to 1977
 * Donald McHenry, United States ambassador to the United Nations (from 1979 to 1981)
 * Brett James McMullen, Retired Brigadier General, United States Air Force Brett James McMullen
 * David D. Phelps, U.S. Congressman from Illinois's 19th congressional district who served from 1999 to 2003
 * Glenn Poshard, former U.S. Congressman, gubernatorial candidate, president of SIU
 * Larry O. Spencer, Vice Chief of Staff, United States Air Force Larry O. Spencer

Statewide officeholders

 * Randy Daniels, former New York Secretary of State
 * Albert E. Mead, former Governor of Washington

State legislators

 * Carl Bearden, member of the Missouri House of Representatives
 * Kenneth Buzbee, Democratic member of the Illinois Senate representing the 58th district (1972–1984)
 * John Cavaletto, Republican member of the Illinois House of Representatives representing the 107th district (2009–present)
 * Jerry Costello II, Democratic member of the Illinois House of Representatives representing the 116th district (2011–present)
 * William Davis, Democratic member of the Illinois House of Representatives representing the 30th district (2002–present)
 * Chad Hays, Republican member of the Illinois House of Representatives representing the 104th district (2010–present)
 * Jeanette Mott Oxford, Democratic member of the Missouri House of Representatives
 * Mary Nichols, Democratic member of the Missouri House of Representatives representing the 72nd district (2010–present)
 * Lena Taylor, Democratic member of the Wisconsin Senate for the 4th district (since 2005)
 * Art Turner, Democratic member of the Illinois House of Representatives (2010–present)
 * Kathleen Vinehout, Democratic member of the Wisconsin Senate representing the 31st district (since 2007)
 * Grant Wehrli, Republican member of the Illinois House of Representatives representing the 41st district (2015–present)
 * Whitney Westerfield, politician

Local officeholders

 * Howard Brookins, Chicago Alderman for the 21st ward
 * Forrest Claypool, member of the Cook County Board of Commissioners for District 12 (2002–2006), CEO of Chicago Public Schools
 * David Coss, Mayor of Santa Fe, New Mexico (2006–2014)
 * Jason Ervin, Chicago Alderman for the 28th ward

International figures

 * Muhammad Ijaz-ul-Haq, Pakistani politician and son of former President General Zia-ul-Haq
 * Joe Hung (Master's degree in journalism, 1965), Taiwanese journalist (Central News Agency) and diplomat, Representative of Taiwan to Italy (1993–2000)

Baseball

 * Sam Coonrod, MLB pitcher
 * Jim Dwyer, former Major League Baseball outfielder
 * Steve Finley, former Major League Baseball center fielder, 5-time Gold Glove winner, 2-time All-Star
 * Jason Frasor, Major League Baseball pitcher
 * Joe Hall, former Major League Baseball pitcher
 * Jerry Hairston Jr., Major League Baseball second baseman
 * Dan Hartleb, college baseball coach at Illinois
 * Duane Kuiper, former Major League Baseball second baseman, announcer, commentator for EA Sports baseball video games
 * Al Levine, Major League Baseball pitcher
 * Skip Pitlock, former Major League pitcher
 * Derek Shelton, Major League Baseball manager, Pittsburgh Pirates
 * Bill Stein, former Major League Baseball infielder
 * Dave Stieb, former Major League Baseball pitcher, 7-time All Star
 * Taira Uematsu (born 1983), Japanese coach for the San Francisco Giants of Major League Baseball

Basketball

 * Ashraf Amaya, former NBA player
 * Chris Carr, former NBA player
 * Walt Frazier, Basketball Hall of Famer and named one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History
 * Mike Glenn, former NBA player
 * Bryan Mullins, current Men's Basketball Head Coach
 * Nate Hawthorne, former NBA player Los Angeles Lakers and Phoenix Suns
 * Troy Hudson, NBA guard
 * Joe Meriweather, NBA center
 * Matt Shaw, former European Professional League

Football

 * Lionel Antoine, former NFL offensive tackle
 * Houston Antwine, former NFL defensive lineman
 * Tom Baugh, former NFL player
 * Amos Bullocks, former NFL running back
 * Jeremy Chinn, current NFL safety for the Carolina Panthers
 * Madre Harper, current NFL cornerback for the Carolina Panthers
 * Jim Hart, former NFL quarterback, 4-time Pro Bowl selection
 * Kevin House, former NFL player
 * Brandon Jacobs, NFL running back
 * Craig James, current NFL cornerback for the Philadelphia Eagles
 * Yonel Jourdain, NFL running back for the Buffalo Bills
 * Deji Karim, NFL running back for the Jacksonville Jaguars
 * Carl Mauck, former NFL player and NFL coach
 * Ryan Neal, current NFL safety for the Seattle Seahawks
 * MyCole Pruitt, NFL tight end
 * Marion Rushing, former NFL linebacker
 * Bart Scott, NFL linebacker
 * Sam Silas, former NFL lineman
 * Russ Smith, former NFL guard
 * Sebron Spivey, former NFL wide receiver
 * Terry Taylor, former NFL cornerback
 * Ernie Wheelwright, former NFL running back
 * Adrian White, former NFL safety
 * Jan Quarless, former football player and head coach at the SIU Carbondale

Other

 * Ron Ballatore, NCAA championship swimming coach, five-time Olympic swimming coach
 * Kim Chizevsky-Nicholls, IFBB professional bodybuilder
 * Roger Counsil, NCAA championship gymnastics coach
 * Mick Haley, USA Olympic volleyball coach
 * Frank Schmitz, four time individual NCAA gymnastics champion and silver medalist at the 1965 Trampoline World Championships
 * Cameron Wright, retired high jumper; competed at the 1996 Olympic Games; Southern Illinois University Hall of Fame 2011

Writers and journalists

 * Jim Bittermann, CNN European correspondent based in Paris
 * Chris Bury, ABC news anchor
 * Bill Christine, sports writer and author
 * Joan Lovett (Lovelace), CBS four-time Emmy award winner
 * Adrian Matejka, poet, finalist for the Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award in poetry
 * Michael Meyerhofer, poet and fantasy author
 * P.S. Mueller, cartoonist for The New Yorker
 * Jason Pargin, fantasy author
 * Jared Yates Sexton, author, political commentator, and creative writing professor
 * Chad Simpson, Micro Award-winning short and flash fiction author
 * Jackie Spinner, writer at the Washington Post and author of Tell Them I Didn't Cry: A Young Journalist's Story of Joy, Loss, and Survival in Iraq

Others

 * Matthew F. Hale (Law School, 1998), white supremacist who solicited the murder of federal judge Joan Lefkow
 * Joan E. Higginbotham, astronaut
 * Rodney P. Kelly, retired Major General, U.S. Air Force
 * Thomas McClelland, retired Captain, U.S. Navy
 * Johnny R. Miller, Assistant Adjutant General of the Illinois Army National Guard
 * Joseph Nechvatal, digital artist and art theoretician
 * Michael Swango, physician and serial murderer
 * Mallica Vajrathon, United Nations senior staff member